Seeding-machine



(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 1. J. O. FULLER 84 W. A. LEE.

SEEDING MACHINE No. 443,643. "P444 444 Deb. so, 1890.

(No Model.) 4 Sheets-Sheet 2.

J. O. FULLER & W. A. LEE.-

SEEDING MACHINE.

No. 443,643. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

34M) @wcov (No Model.) 4 Shee tsSl1eet 3.

' J. 0. FULLER & W. A. LEE.

SEEDING MACHINE.

No. 443,643. Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

(No Model.) I ,4 sheets J. O. FULLER & W. A. LEE. SEEDING MACHINE.

Sheet 4.

No. 443,643. I Patented Dec. 30, 1890.

UNrTEn STATES PATENT OFFICE.-

JAMES o. FULLER AND WILLIAM A. LEE, OF WINFIELD, KANSAS.

SEEDlNG-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 443,643, dated December 30, 1890.

Application filed March 24, 1890. Serial No. 345,062. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that we, JAMES C. FULLER and WILLIAM A. LEE, of Winfield, in the county of Cowley and State'of Kansas, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Seeding-Machines; and we do hereby declare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

Our invention relates to an improvement in seed-drills, and has for its object to so construct the same that the covering-wheels shall also serve as carrying-wheels.

A further object is to produce a frame for a grain-drill which shall be substantial in construction, comprising a comparatively small number of parts, and so constructed that its weight and the weight of parts attached thereto, as well as that of the driver, will not be brought to bear upon the necks of the draft-animals, but such weight shall be directly upon the covering-wheels.

A further object is to so construct the device that the wheels will be permitted to ride over obstructions without affecting the remainder of the machine.

A further object is to provide a grain-drill with furrow-disks attached to the machinein such manner that they shall be propelled in front of the covering-wheels, whereby the draft-animals may be placed in close proximityto the machine, thereby dispensing with any frame in front of the furrow-disks.

With these objects in view the invention consists in certain novel features of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts as hereiuaftcrset forth, and pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a side view of the complete machine. Fig. 2 is a View of one pair of carrying-wheels. Fig. 3 is a view of a portion of the frame. Fig. 4 is a View of one pair of furrow-disks and attached parts. Fig. 5 is a detail view. Fig. 6 is a side elevation of a modification.

The seed-box A of the machine may be of any preferred construction, having a series of feed-cups a, in each of which an agitator is located, said agitators being carried by a common shaft a which shaft may be provided with a sprocket-wheel adapted to receive a a short shaft 15.

suitable sprocket-chain by means of which motion is imparted to the agitator-shaft.

Secured to the ends of the seed-box A are plates or brackets b, which project below the seed-box and have secured to their lower extremities blocks 0, in which blocks the ends of a shaft 1 are supported, said shaft being preferably made hollow to secure lightness.

Secured to the lower edges of the blocks a are brackets (1, having perforated bosses, which serve as journal-bearings for the ends of a preferably hollow shaft 2.

Mounted upon the shaft 1 is a series of castings 3, each having an integral collar 4, through which a stem 5 of a standard 6 is adapted to have a vertical sliding movement. The standards 6 are connected together in pairs by means of angle-irons 7, as shown in Fig. 2, and at their lower ends said standards are provided with perforated bosses, in each pair of which a short shaft 8 is mounted,

which shaft carries two wheels 10. One standard 6 of the two center pairs is made with an offset or shoulder 9, as shown in Fig. 2, to permit the passage between them of a tongue, as presently explained.

Encircling the stems 5 of each standard 6 is a spring 11, bearing at one end upon a shoulder formed at the base of the stem and at the other end against the collar 4. By this means the wheels are permitted to give or move upwardlyirrespective of the remainder of the machine, thus enabling them to accom modate themselves to the unevenness of the ground.

Loosely mounted at their rear ends upon the short shafts 8, at or near the ends of the latter, is a series of push-bars 12, one of such bars being in close proximity to each wheel 10, and extending forwardly, having a series of hoes 13 rigidly secured to their forward ends.

Located in front of each wheel 10 is a furrow-disk 14, and said disks are connected together in pairs, each pair being mounted on The push-bars 12 being connected to the uprights in pairs, the hoes are necessarily connected to the push-bars in pairs, and each hoe is provided with a lug 16, one lug of each pair being shorter than the other, said lugs projecting from the hoes ob liquely to the line of draft of the machine.

IOC

Secured to the end of each hoe 1 .3 is a halt' box 17, having aconcave surface adapted to partially embrace the axle or shaft 15 of the furrow-disks. Another half-box 18 completes the bearing of the hoe on the axle, said halfboX 18 being provided with ears 1S to which the free ends of a yoke 19 are secured, said yoke passing through a perforation in the lug 16, and thus securing the half-box 18in place. By thus connecting the hoes with the shaft 15, the tops of the hoes will. stand in a straight line in front of the drill and at the same time throw the angle of the disks in a diagonal position so that they will cut across a straight line, and again by arrangin the lugs 16 a little obliquely to the line of draft the disks will be pushed straight forward with out throwing the push-bars 12 in a cramped position where the axle passes through them. By giving the disks the movement above described we are enabled to open a furrow with them for the reception of grain.

The disks 1% are preferably made dishshaped, the dished portion of one half the disks facing in one direction and the other half facing in the other direction.

Secured to the shaft 1 by means of staples or loops 20, or otherwise, is a series of tubes 21, having flaring months at their upper ends in proximity to the feed-cups a and adapted to receive grain therefrom. From their months the tubes extend downwardly in a straight oblique line, the lower extremities being curved and made to enter the hoes 13 loosely and pass partially through the same.

Secured across the tubes 21, about midway between their ends, is a shaft 22.

Secured at one end to the uprights 6, near the lower ends of the latter, and at their other ends to the shaft 22, is a series of bracebars 23, by means of which the uprights 6 will be maintained always in a substantially vertical position, so that when the machine is operated the disks will be pushed positively forward.

It will be seen that all the parts are carried by a single frame, said frame comprising the shafts 1, 2, and 22, uprights or standards 6, push-bars 12, and tubes 21; that the presswheels 10 are arranged immediately in rear of the furrowdisks and adapted to close the furrows after the seed has been deposited therein; that the entire weight of the machine, with the exception of the furrow-disks and parts attached directly thereto, and also the weight of the operator or driver, will be brought upon the covering-wheels, and that the covering-wheels also serve as carryingwheels.

Connecting the hoes 13 of each pair is a metallic yoke 25, which tends to maintain said hoes and attached furrow-disks properly separated and preventthe tops of the hoes from flaring.

Projecting upwardly from and integral with each yoke 25 is a stem 26, having in its upper portion a series of perforations 27.

These stems are adapted to pass through slots 2%, made in the free forward ends of a series of arms 29, the other ends of said arms being secured to the shaft 2. The stems 26 may be maintained at any desired vertical adjustment relatively to the arms 20 by means of pins 30, inserted in the perforations 27 of each stem,and encircling the stem of each yoke below the ends of the arms 29 is a spring 31. An operating-lever is secured to the shaft 2 and projects rearwardly therefrom, by means of which lever the shaft may be rotated, and the hoes and ftlll'OW-(liSkS may be lifted through the medium of the arms 99,

yokes 25, and their stems 20.

In order that the hoes and disks may be maintained at any desired elevated position, the lever 3; is provided with the ordinary spring-catch 33, which is adapted to engage the teeth of a segment 34, secured to the frame of the machine.

assing centrallythrough the frame of the machine and between the center pair of standards (i and tubes 21 is a tongue 35, said tongue projecting rearwardly from the machine and having a drivers seat mounted on such rear part of the tongue. The tongue passes between shafts 2 and 22, and at the points where it passes these shafts the tongue is provided with castings 36 and 37, by means of which it is seen red to said shafts.

In lieu of employing hoes, as above do scribed, in which curved tubes are adapted to deliver seed from a seed-box, the construction of the device, as illustrated in Fig. (i, may be adopted, in which case thehoes 13are dispensed with and the tubes 21 made straight. In this form of the invention a bracket 40 secured to the bottom of the seed-box at each end thereof and made with a socket 41, into which the upper ends of pipes 12 are secured,

said pipes extending downwardly in an oblique direction over the tubes 21, and connected at their lower extremities by a horizontal pipe 43 by means of ordinary elbows 4A.

A series of loops 45 are connected at one end to the pipe 4-3 and at their other end to the tubes 21 to maintain them in position. Castings 4-0 are secured to the tubes 21, and serve to retain them in proper position.

Loosely connected at their lowerends to the push-bars 12 are a series of auxiliary liftirons 17, said irons being loosely connected at their upper ends to the castings 46, the pur pose of which irons will presently appear. Secured at its ends to the pipes 42 or to collars 48 attached to said pipe is an inverted U-shaped casting 49, which is provided with a series of perforations for the passage of the stems of the uprights 6, the upper ends of the springs 11 resting in said casting. Journaled in suitable brackets 50, secured to the pipes 12 at or neartheir lower ends, is a shaft 51, to which is secured a series of forwardly-projecting arms 52, having perforations in their forward ends for the accommodation of the stems 2', projecting upwardly from the axleboxes of the f u rrow-disks. Projecting up wardly from the center of the shaft 51 at right angles to the arms 52 is anarm 53, to which one end of a rod 54 is adjustably connected, the opposite end of said rod being connected to an operating-lever 55. The lever 55 is pivoted atits lower end to a bracket 56, secured to the frame-work of the machine, and proj ecting rearwardly from this bracket is a toothed segment 57, with which a finger-bar 58, at: tached to the operating-lever, is adapted to engage. The bracket 56 is provided with a vertical perforation adapted to secure a long screw 59, provided on its lower end with an operating-wheel 60. Located within the perforation or socket of the bracket 56 is a bolt having a spur thereon, through which the screw 59 passes, and secured at one end to this bolt is a bar 61. The opposite end of the bar 61 is bifurcated and adapted to embrace the rear end of the tongue 62, to which it is securely bolted. By this means the tongue may be raised or lowered and adjusted at any desired elevation to draft-animals of varying heights. A further object of this arrangement of the tongue is to throw the top of the drill back of the center of gravity sufficiently to raise the disks with the front of the frame when it is desired to convey the machine over a road to and from the field, or going from one field to another. Through the medium of the operating-lever 55 the parts connected thereto and the auxiliarylift-irons 47 allthe deliverypipes and the furrow-disks may be raised to any desired elevation and retained at such adjustment by means of the arrangement of the finger-bar with the segment, By this same means the depth of the furrow-disks in the ground may be readily regulated.

Secured to the cross-bar which unites the uprights 6 at the center of the machine is a casting or brace 63, provided at its upper end with a perforation 64, through which a rod 65 passes, the upper end of said brace being bent to produce a flat face for the reception of one end of a spring 66, which encircles the rod 65. The rod 65 is connected at its upper end to a cross-bar 67 of aframe 68,projecting rearwardly from the seed-box and loosely connected to an axle beneath said feed-box.

A shaft 69 is journaled in the frame 68. Two sprocket-wheels are keyed or otherwise secured to this shaft, one of said sprocketwheels being connected by means of a suitable drive-chain with a sprocket-wheel on the shaft 8 of the covering-wheels 10, and the other sprocket-wheel on the shaft being connected with a sprocket-wheel 81 on the shaft which drives the feed mechanism in the seed box.

A lever 70, mounted on the frame 68, is held in place by a spring 71, said lever being provided at one end with a roller 7 2.v The roller '72 is adapted to engage a clutch connected with a sprocket-wheel on the shaft which drives the feed mechanism, whereby, by operating the lever 70, the feed mechanism may be thrown into or out of gear at will.

Having fully described our invention, what we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported on said wheels in such positionthat its weight is substantially balanced, and carrying a seed-box, push-bars projecting forwardly from the axles of the wheels, furrowdisks carried at the forward ends of the push-bars, and means for conveying seed from the seed-box to the ground in close proximity to the f u rrow-disks, substantially as set forth.

2. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported thereon, the wheels being yieldingly connected with the frame, and carrying a seed-box in a vertical plane with the axle, push-bars pivotally connected to the axles of the wheels, disks carried at the forward ends of the push-bars, means for raising said disks, and means for conveying seed from the seed-box to the ground in close proximity to the disks, substantially as set forth.

3. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported thereon and carrying a seed-box, push-bars projecting forwardly from the axles of said Wheels, hoes secured to the forward ends of said push-bars, disks secured to said hoes, and means connecting the seed-box and hoes for conveying seed to the furrow madeby the f urrow-disks, substantially as set forth.

4. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported thereon and carrying a seed-box, push-bars projecting forwardly from the axle of said wheels, hoes secured to the forward ends of the push-bars, disks secured to the hoes in such manner that they will rotate at an angle to theline of draftof the machine, and means connecting the seed-box and hoes, whereby seed will be conveyed from said box to the ground, substantially as set forth.

5. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported thereon and carrying a seed-box, push-bars projecting forwardly from the axles of said wheels, hoes secured to the push-bars, lugs on said hoes, the lug on one hoe being made longer than the lug on the adjacent hoe, a series of disks secured to said lugs, and means for conveying seed from-the seed-box to the ground, substantially as set forth.

6. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of uprights carrying axles at their lower ends, of two wheels mounted on each axle, a push-bar mounted on the axles and projectin g forwardly therefrom in proximity to each upright, a hoe secured to each push-bar, and a furrow-disk secured to each hoe, substantially as set forth.

7. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of uprights connected together in pairs, each pair carrying an axle at its lower end, of two-wheels mounted on each axle, a pushtoo bar mounted on the axles and projecting forward] y therefrom in proximityto each upright, a hoe secured to each push-bar, a f urrow-disk secured to each hoe, and a yoke connecting the hoes of each pair, substantially as set forth.

8. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of uprights connected together in pairs, each pair carrying an axle at its lower end, of two wheels mounted on each axle, a push bar mounted on the axles and projecting forwardly therefrom in proximity to each upright, a hoe secured to each push-bar, a furrow-disk secured to each hoe, and a. tube projecting at its lower end into each hoe and extending upwardly past the upper ends of said uprights, substantially as set forth.

9. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported thereon, said frame comprising a series of uprights, a series of puslrbars projecting forwardly therefrom, a shaft connecting the upper ends of the uprights together, a series of tubes, a shaft connecting said tubes, and draw-bars connecting the latter-named shafts with the uprights, substantially as set forth.

10. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported thereon, said frames comprising a series of uprights, a shaft to which said uprights are yieldingly connected, a series of push-bars projecting forwardly from the uprights, a series of tubes, a shaft connecting said tubes, and draw-bars connecting the latter-named shaft with the uprights, substantially as set forth.

11. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a series of uprights, one for each wheel, push-bars carrying hoes and furrow-disks, a shaft mounted in the frame work and having arms projecting therefrom, yokes connecting said arms with the hoes,

and a lever connected to said shaft, whereby the disks and hoes may be elevated when desired, substantially as set forth.

12. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a series of wheels, of a frame supported thereby and to which the wheels are yieldingly connected, a seed-box carried by the frame, a tongue passing through and secured to said frame, an d a d rivers seat on the tongue in rear of the frame, substantially as set forth.

13. In a press-drill, the combination, with metal pipes constituting a frame, a series of eovering-wheels, and a series of tubes, of hoes connected to the frame and adapted to be pushed in front of the covering-wheels, said hoes being curved concentric with the delivery-tubes, whereby said delivery-tubes may pass freely therein, integral extensions at the lower ends of said hoes curved at sufiieient angle to throw the seed under the convex of the disks and having lugs on their front faces to which the disks are secured, whereby the disks will be set obliquely to the line of draft and at the same time be pushed positively forward, substantially as set forth.

14. In a grain-drill, the combination, with a frame, of a shaft mounted thereon, a series of arms on said shaft, a furrow-disk yieldingly connected to each of said arms, an arm projecting from said shaft at right angles to the first-mentioned arms, and means attached to said arms for rotating the shaft to elevate the furrow-disks, substantially as set forth.

In testimony whereof we have signed this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

JAMES C. FULLER. WILLIAM A. LEE. \Vitnesses:

Anos S. ALLEN, HOMER G. FULLER. 

